Dear friends,
we are celebrating our 20th anniversary by organizing the second Athens Tolkien Symposium, a two-day literary and academic “hybrid” event, with special guests from Greece and abroad.
Dates: 13 & 14 May 2022
Place: Ianos literary café, 24 Stadiou St., Athens
The event will be live-streamed on the venue’s platform. As the main presentations will be in English, maybe some of you would like to participate. Greece is GMT+3. The link will be announced a few days before the event. Here is the full program:
Friday 13 May, 18.00-21.00
18.00 – 18.30 Start of Symposium – Welcome speech.
18.30 – 19.30 “J.R.R. Tolkien Beowulf – A Translation and Commentary” edited by Christopher Tolkien (Aeolos Publications). Presentation of the Greek edition of the book by its translator Thomas Mastakouris.
19.30 – 20.30 “The Hobbits and I: My Travels in Middle-earth”. Online presentation by Brian Sibley, author and award-winning producer of radio plays based on Tolkien’s work for BBC4.
20.30 – 21.00 “Lord of the Rings Medley”. A musical journey in Middle-earth with pianist Stefanos Argyriou-Saragias. Songs by Cleopatra Eleutheriadou (soprano) and Alexandros Valavanis (tenor).
Saturday 14 May, 15.00 – 21.00
15.00 -15.30 Exhibition of works by Jay Johnstone.
15.30 – 16.30 “The Magical Ring of Narration”. Presentation by Dr. Dimitra Nikolaidou, author, translator and researcher and Victor Pseftakis MSc, author, translator and teacher of creative writing.
16.30 – 17.30 “Meet Jay Johnstone”. Acquaintance with the famous Tolkien illustrator, presentation of his work and discussion with the public. The artist will be introduced by fellow Tolkien illustrator Spyros Gelekas.
17.30 – 18.30 “Echoes of Ancient Greek Literature in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Work” edited by Dr. Dimitra Fimi and Dimitrios Kolovos (Kedros Publications). Presentation of the book by Dimitrios Kolovos, PhD candidate at Demokrition University of Thraki and a panel of translators. Dr Dimitra Fimi, Senior Lecturer of Fantasy and Children’s Literature at the University of Glasgow will appear online.
18.30 – 19.30 “The Second Age of Middle-earth”. Presentation of the shortest and less known “historical” period of Tolkien’s sprawling epic story, by the Prancing Pony members Kaethi Karageorgi and Spyros Sampsonas.
19.30 – 20.30 “Meet the Tolkien Professor”. Online presentation by Dr. Corey Olsen, Tolkien specialist and President of Signum University.
20.30 – 21.00 Closing speech. End of Symposium.
